Ship statistics

Overview

The Norwegian Spirit captures the elegance and charm of the Alaskan experience. Freestyle Dining allows for an array of dining options, from savory French entrees at Maxim's to Tai Pan's Asian delights. On deck, admire spectacular views while practicing your golf swing and jogging around the Star Track. Sip your favorite cocktail by the Tivoli Pool, or indulge in the soothing treatments featured at the Roman Spa. At night, witness magical performances at the Moulin Rouge, then kick up your heels at the Celebrity Disco. Or, find Lady Luck amidst colorful gaming tables and slot machines at Maharajah's.

Norwegian Spirit, which recently relocated to New York for year-round residency alongside Norwegian Dawn, offers much of what cruisers have come to expect from NCL: a wide range of restaurants, state-of-the-art kids' facilities, and numerous bars and lounges. However, in preparing for its move to the Big Apple, Norwegian Spirit underwent a renovation and refurbishment, and the results were not what we expected. Don't worry, we mean that in a good way. But first, a crash course in this ship's unique history ...

In the first few days of January 2004, all was going as planned for NCL. The line was planning on a late-spring launch for a groundbreaking American-flagged ship, Pride of America; after the Alaska season, Norwegian Sky was to be refitted and fly the U.S. flag as Pride of Aloha. But later that month, tragedy struck: Pride of America partially sank while nearing completion at the Lloyd Werft Shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.

With the flooding of Pride of America and Hawaiian itineraries to fulfill, NCL quickly changed its plan and stepped up the transformation of Norwegian Sky, which left them one ship short in Alaska. This is where Star Cruises, the Malaysian parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, comes in. The line gifted NCL with a large ship that could meet the needs of the North American cruise market: SuperStar Leo, which launched in 1998. Renamed Norwegian Spirit, the vessel was refit in a mere two weeks for the North American market and many of the Asian influences were left untouched, such as Chinese decor throughout and a specially designed room for mah-jongg.

To make a long story short, we thought for sure the lines of modern convenience and Asian custom would be blurred after Spirit's latest refurbishment. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see that many special Eastern touches still remain and, according to NCL, are here to stay. Asian artwork remains on the walls in public areas and suites, and public spaces are toned down in color compared to other NCL vessels (no bright neon as on Norwegian Jewel and Dawn), making the atmosphere feel a bit more upscale and setting the ship apart from others in the fleet.

So what exactly did change onboard? Soft goods, such as bedding, were upgraded and carpets were replaced; signage was modified (though Asian-language characters can still be seen here and there); and Maxim's Steakhouse and Taipan Bistro swapped spots and were renamed Cagney's and Le Bistro, respectively, to fit in with the rest of the NCL fleet. But the best outcome of the refurbishment is without a doubt the addition of a swank new nightclub a back portion of the too-large casino was converted into the two-room Maharini's Lounge & Nightclub, a super-mod after-hours hangout.

The moral of the story: Change is good but if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

The 77,000-ton Norwegian Spirit was built for informal, freestyle cruising which is the hallmark of Norwegian Cruise Line. There is a variety of accommodation onboard with many interconnecting cabins ideal for family cruising. 65 percent of outside cabins have private balconies. Some inside facing cabins overlook the Grand Centrum. Anytime, casual dining is offered in seven restaurants including two main and three alternative choices - French, Japanese and Chinese - plus Raffles Lido Buffet and the 24-hour Blue Lagoon Cafe. The vessel also features a wrap-around promenade, expansive kids' and teen facilities, a two-deck 1,000-seat show lounge, disco, cinema, casino, Roman Spa & Fitness Center, observation lounge. The sports deck has a jogging track, golf driving range, sports court for basketball, volleyball and tennis.

Norwegian Spirit sailed formerly as the SuperStar Leo for NCL's parent company, Star Cruises. She was the largest ship in Star's Asian fleet. Transferred permanently to NCL in 2004, Spirit now sails year-round from New York to the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida.

Public rooms

NCL's ships feature a central atrium called the Grand Centrum, and on Norwegian Spirit this space is the focal point of social interaction. It rises six decks high, capped with a surround of Palladian windows echoing those at the aft of Windows restaurant. A black marble floor leads to a grand and elegant staircase, which climbs to the shops above, and to a lounge, Champagne Charlie's, which features music in the evenings.

On the starboard side of the Grand Centrum is a series of upholstered chairs and divans for conversation; on the port side is the Cafe, a small lounge that serves coffees, cakes, cookies and other bar drinks. Behind the staircase is a black marble fountain, which can be seen from the atrium's three glass-enclosed elevators as they rise to higher floors.

Aside from the aforementioned Windows, there are three other standout spaces on this ship:

Galaxy of the Stars, located on Deck 12 forward, is Spirit's observation lounge; amazing care and detail went into the design of this space. It's vast, for one thing, and bright, with floor-to-ceiling glass surrounding it on three sides. The predominant color is the blue of the carpet, but the furnishings are dark woods, glass-topped tables, deep cushioned chairs and window seats with brocade upholstery. A small bandstand and dance floor are in the middle, a large bar near the entrance; a circular stairway descends to a bridge viewing area, and a computerized navigational chart on a raised platform allows you to follow the course of the ship.

Another amazing space on this ship is Charlie's Childcare Center and Buccaneer's Wet and Wild. What? A "kid's club" as a standout? Yep, the best in its class outside of a Disney ship! It's amazing, like having a shipboard amusement park, with tunnels and tubes, rooms filled with those balls that kids love to jump in, a pool complex with slides and fountains and pirate muskets blasting water, and the best game arcade on the seven seas, all bright and colorful, and attended by bright and colorful childcare professionals.

Simply the best place to dance the night away is Maharini's Lounge & Nightclub. When NCL acquired SuperStar Leo, the casino was extremely large as befits an Asian audience. During the renovation, a portion of the casino was sectioned off and turned into a lounge that was inspired, according to NCL, by the design and architecture of India. To us, it felt more like a Manhattan-chic VIP nightclub. Blue, red and gold decor is accented by dramatic chandeliers, comfy day beds, plush pillows, velvety curtains, plasma televisions and a dance floor that is packed way into the wee hours (we know we were there).

There are additional bars and lounges scattered throughout the ship. One favorite is the Cafe, located in the Grand Centrum along the port side. It's a lovely space, quiet amid the goings-on in the atrium and backed by the soothing sounds of the fountain behind it. Champagne Charlie's is located just above the Centrum floor near the shops on Deck 8; music played at night filters throughout the atrium area. Celebrity Disco is small, intimate and fun, but is difficult to get to for those unable to climb stairs. It's located forward on Deck 13, but the only elevator that goes to that deck is midship and then you have to cross open deck to get forward.

The Shanghai Bar on Deck 7 features private karaoke rooms for guests who want to try their hand at sing-alongs. Henry's Pub, a clubby room behind the reception desk on Deck 7, serves up beer and spirits and darts in an Olde English-style environment.

For drinks al fresco, try the Bier Garten, located forward on Deck 13. This venue occupies a perch overlooking the central pool complex, and is surrounded by picnic tables. The Bier Garten also serves hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and Bavarian items such as knockwurst and sauerkraut (check the Freestyle Daily for times).

However, when weather permits, the cheerful and friendly Raffle's Terrace is the best spot outdoors for a drink or a beer. Located outside and aft on Deck 12, it provides a stunning view over the stern of the ship and out over the kids' pool area.

Just aft of the Galaxy of the Stars lounge is a series of public rooms that include the library and Internet center, a game room, a cigar room, and a mah-jongg room. All of these spaces are lovely, but the library and Internet center really stand out. They are calm, peaceful, and small but well-designed spaces, with elegant furnishings and windows lining the starboard side of the ship. Internet prices are reasonable at rates from 30 cents per minute to 75 cents per minute depending on the package you choose. Wireless access is available too, and almost all public spaces have hot spots.

There are shops on Deck 8 surrounding the atrium, but they are tiny and don't have a lot to offer (mostly because there is not enough room to offer much of anything). There is a new Colombian Emeralds store onboard, which is unique for a cruise ship, and another jewelry store with the usual baubles. There is a sundry and duty-free shop and a logo/apparel shop.

Fitness and Reacreation

This ship has plenty to keep the avid exercise junkie busy, including a terrific Sports at Sea program (which offers logo items to those who complete their programs). The outside promenade on Deck 7 circles the ship and is the ideal place for a walking circuit; the Sports Deck has a running track (pleasantly unobtrusive as it is set off from sunning areas by a wall; six circuits equals one mile), basketball and volleyball courts, and a golf cage. Ping-Pong tables are located at the aft of Deck 11.

There is one large swimming pool on the Lido Deck, big enough for early-morning lap swims, surrounded by four large hot tubs. In warm climes, this deck will get a lot of use. It's very nicely laid out, attractive and accessible.

The gym is small but well equipped. Two small swim-against-the-current pools are located within the fitness center; each is heated and approximately 6 ft. wide by 12 ft. long. If you don't get to the big pool before the crowd does, this is the perfect way to get your laps in.

There are separate changing rooms, relaxation rooms, and steam and sauna rooms for men and women. The women's side is gorgeous and expansive, with a relaxation room along the port side of the ship, lined with windows looking out to the sea. There are a couple of televisions and several comfy chairs and sofas. There is a large dressing room and a large sauna and steam room for women to use. Those on the men's side are small; the dressing room is small but adequate, the steam and sauna rooms much smaller than those for women. The men's relaxation room is cozy, with a single television, located in an interior room with no windows.

A bit of trivia: The men's and women's facilities were reversed during the initial refit for the North American market. The Asian culture exalts men's relaxation and pampering, leaving the smaller and less appealing side for the women. During the changeover, the urinals were removed from what is now the women's side.

The Roman Spa, operated by Mandara (Steiner of London), offers treatments ranging from hot stone massages to body-cleansing wraps. Treatment rooms are very small on this ship, and have the usual Bali-centric decor used by Mandara spas. The mid-range for massages seemed to be around $100; look for specials in the Freestyle Daily, especially on port days.

Over one-third of Norwegian Spirit’s Deck 12 is devoted to fitness and wellness. The feng-shui designed space is exceptionally pleasing in its architecture and design and is equal to the facilities on any ship its size. Separately, the ship’s Promenade Deck offers an “around-the-ship” walking circuit and Deck 13 offers a jogging circuit. Table tennis, a golf driving net and a combination volleyball, basketball, tennis court are also onboard.

But the big news aboard Norwegian Spirit is the Roman Spa, a treatment facility operated by Mandara (Steiner of London). It’s here where appointments are accepted for such exotic treatments as “Frangipani Body Nourishing Wraps,” or “Coconut and Milk Ritual Wraps,” hot stone massages, detoxification and aromatherapies and similar rejuvenation offerings. Money-saving packages (especially on port days) are heavily promoted and well worth checking into.

Other news items worthy of mention are the two “AquaSwim” pools located within the fitness center. The attractively decorated indoor pools allow users to swim against water currents whose speed they select to match their fitness level. These pools make lap swimming a “no-excuses” form of exercise aboard Norwegian Spirit. The ship also offers a relatively small but complete gymnasium with aerobic and resistance training equipment.

Naturally, there are men’s and women’s steam and sauna rooms – and for anyone in need of a haircut, style or perm – Oscar’s Hair & Beauty Salon!

Entertainment

Norwegian Cruise Line has long been known for its excellent production shows, and this ship is no exception. The Stardust Theater is one of the finest at sea, using two decks to create its slant, assuring excellent lines of sight for all seats. The two-deck slant is compensated for in Windows restaurant, just below it, where one end soars two decks high, a true architectural innovation. The shows are elaborate, colorful and exciting. Evening entertainment includes individual performers as well.

Two of the lounges featured live music on a daily basis: Champagne Charlie's and Galaxy of the Stars. Champagne Charlie's is above the atrium floor, so anyone in that area could enjoy the offerings every day. Dancing to live music is available nightly in Galaxy of the Stars. There is music in Celebrity Disco at night as well, and a D.J. spinning popular dance tunes in Maharini's.

The cruise director's staff did an admirable job of providing fun activities ranging from craft lessons (beaded geckos!) to learning a foreign language (Spanish and Tagalog, the language of the Philippines). And there were plenty of onboard games, trivia contests, bingo, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and even "The Weakest Link," with shipboard logo prizes given out to the winners.

The casino, Maharaja's, offers a huge array of slots and table games; slot machines ranged from five cents to $25 (not many players were seen around those), and some allowed you to change denomination in the middle of your play to switch from playing quarters to playing dollars and vice versa.

The art auctions seemed to be a big hit with those who attended them.

The three big-venue entertainment rooms aboard Norwegian Spirit are the 1000-seat Moulin Rouge Showroom, Champagne Charlie’s and Galaxy of the Stars. Each offers a daily list of live entertainment. But, given that there are 11 bars and lounges to be found on the ship, so count ‘em up – there are eight more places to find! But – back to the “big three.”

The biggest show lounge, the two-tiered Moulin Rouge Showroom, is located at the stern of the ship yet with its seats facing forward – an unusual arrangement for a ship’s main lounge. But it works beautifully here. The next largest venue is Galaxy of the Stars observation lounge, located up on Deck 12 with expansive views out to sea. By day it’s a true observation lounge – but at night the pace quickens a bit with live entertainment and dancing.

Champagne Charlie’s is a large, yet warm and friendly place to connect before or after dinner. Its midship location makes it convenient to passenger staterooms, restaurants and the nearby “transportation hub,” the Grand Centrum. Soft-cushioned bar stools and comfortable easy chairs clustered for easy conversation make this lounge a perfect place to lounge and linger! No wonder it’s so popular!

Champagne Charlie’s outdoor equivalent would have to be the Bier Garten, the place to go to sharpen your people- watching skills and enjoy a cool beverage beneath a festive umbrella. Prefer to enjoy your cold beer indoors? Try Henry’s Pub with its “Olde London” atmosphere and Promenade views. The Smoking Room is an ideal place to sip an after dinner cordial within a masculine décor of warm leather seating.

The Bund is your Sports Bar destination. Located adjacent to the 24-hour Blue Lagoon Café, there’s usually as much action at the bar as on the TV monitors! Action is also the word at the Karaoke Rooms located across the hall and at the top-of-the-ship Celebrity Disco. And just off the Grand Centrum is yet another people-watching favorite, particularly on port days – The Café.

Maharajah’s, the Norwegian Spirit’s Casino, is the largest casino of any ship in this class – and one of the largest afloat. Positioned forward (where most cruise lines place the main show lounge) the room’s size is a reminder that this ship was originally designed to appeal primarily to Asian vacation sensibilities and passions! Club Royale, located within the casino, offers a separate room for the ship’s “high rollers.”

Activities

Providing endless fun for all, Norwegian Spirit is almost like a shopping mall, where you can shop, play and have fun till you drop.

The kids will find lots to do as well - from surfing the Internet to video games.

• Ports O'Call (shopping)
• Computer World (children's computer center)
• Starlight Video Arcade
• Oscar's Hair and Beauty Salon
• The Library (books and internet)
• Charlie's Childcare Center

Family

If ever a ship were custom-built for families, this is it. Other ships have child care centers and well-trained staff; this ship has a child center that looks like a day camp for the kids of the rich and famous. In fact, approximately one-fifth of Deck 10 is allocated to children and their activities.

The center itself is divided into several rooms, each with a purpose and each age-appropriate. Then there is the video arcade, a vast room with games and activities that will keep older children and teens occupied for hours. There's a teen disco, and an activity room for younger children that utilizes climbing tubes and tunnels, a ball crawl, and lots of soft toys, all in bright primary colors. There's an outdoor activity area and a crafts section. Then there is Buccaneer's Wet and Wild, an onboard water park, with a pool surrounded with caves and a mountain, two small slides that require entry through a tunnel, pirate's cannons that shoot water, and even a children's hot tub. An amphitheater has been built between Decks 10 and 11 at the aft end so parents can sit and watch their kids play while enjoying a beer or drink from the Raffles bar.

There is no charge for using the center, which takes children from age 2 to 16. Toddlers in diapers are welcome, but only while the parents are onboard; they are given a beeper and notified when their child needs to be changed.

Dress

Casual. There are two optional formal nights on a seven-night cruise, not confined to either of the two main restaurants. Shorts, tank tops and exercise wear are not allowed in the main or specialty dining rooms at any time.

Fellow passengers

NCL's "Freestyle Cruising" appeals to a casual and unpretentious crowd of all ages. Family groups choose this ship for the hundreds of connecting staterooms, and the children's center is one of the best at sea. All age groups are represented, from infants to seniors, and the ship's staff really does an exceptional job of catering to the needs of everyone.

Gratuity

NCL recommends a minimum of $10 per day, which is added to your shipboard account. This amount can be adjusted in either direction; it is suggested that you tip for room service as it's delivered. Beverages purchased onboard and surcharge meals include a gratuity charged at point of service.

Ship hightlights

• Roman Spa and Fitness Center
• Sports Deck with jogging circuit, volleyball, basketball, and fully equipped gym
• Seven dining venues, including two main dining rooms and three alternative restaurants
• 1,000-seat Moulin Rouge theatre
• World-class casino
• Seven-deck high grand atrium
• Children's facilities and activities
• Starlight Video Arcade
• Karaoke at The Bund
• Movie theatre

Recommended for

• Families
• Active, young-hearted passengers of all ages
• First time cruisers
• Passengers looking for an unstructured cruise atmosphere

Not recommended for

• Passengers who prefer a traditional cruising environment
• Cruise vacationers looking for exotic ports of call